White Burgundy and Thermobaric Bombs
by cowbell2011
Summary: An extension of the date scene in 5.3. HR fluff.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: HR always live on wanted more HR fluff, and this came into my head late last night. So I thought I would put it out there while I work on the next chapter of Saving The Country. It's an extension of the date scene in 5.3. It's kind of different to how I normally write, so I'm quite scared about posting it. Therefore, reviews would be nice, even if it's to say that you hate the whole thing :) Oh, and thoughts are in italics.**

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><p>'Of course, it's not a trip to do alone.'<p>

'Did you have a particular companion in mind?' Ruth asks.

_Please let him mean me. Oh please please please._

'Well it would have to be somebody whose conversation you enjoyed, yet who understood the need sometimes for quiet.'

_I hope I'm not being too obvious here. _

'Somebody with a gentle sense of humour. Principled, but not foolish...or naive.'

_Well that's done it. You've gone and scared her off on the first date by all but inviting her on a trip around the world. You idiot Harry Pearce. _

He holds his breath and forces his eyes to meet hers across the table.

'Good qualities.' She agrees.

_He can't be talking about me, surely? I'm not that lucky. What does he even see in me?_

'You don't often find them in one person.'

His soft voice sends thrills down her spine and his gaze is so piercing she has to look down. She fiddles with her napkin, trying to push her nerves away and resisting the urge to run. She's never felt like this about a man, and she can't quite believe that he might feel the same about her too.

'White burgundy. Thermobaric bombs.'

His words cause her to look up at him again and she hopes her nerves have subsided enough not to show in her voice when she speaks again.

'Quite a species aren't we.'

She doesn't trust herself to say more than a few words as he tops up her glass. Really, she shouldn't drink anymore. She's already had two glasses and she can feel it making her slightly tipsy already.

_What do I do when he drops me off at home? Do I invite him in for coffee? No, too forward. But I don't want him to think I'm not interested. A kiss on the cheek, perhaps. But isn't the man supposed to make the first move? Oh come on Ruth, this is the 21__st__ century._

He senses he is beginning to lose her to her innermost thoughts and reaches across the table to take her hand. The touch is gentle at first. He runs the tips of his fingers over her soft skin as a trial run, to see if she will pull away. When she doesn't, he slides his fingers underneath hers and intertwines them. They smile at each other and both take another sip of their wine. Him to calm his raging nerves, her for Dutch courage.

_If I offer her a lift, will she invite me in? I don't want to seem too eager by accepting but will she think I'm not interested if I decline? And where will it lead if I do go in? Coffee? Sleep? Sex? This beautiful woman is too good for me. She won't invite an old fool like me in anyway._

The waiter interrupts their silent thoughts and constant lovestruck gazes by asking if they would like the bill. Harry waves him away with a hand and he returns in a few minutes, placing it silently on the edge of the table. He slides his credit card into the leather bound case without even looking at the total.

'Oh Harry, let me pay at least half.' She says, reaching for the case.

He grabs her hand as she reaches over and shakes his head.

'I said I'd take you out Ruth. I'll pay.'

Now they are seated across from each other, both hands grasping the other's around the assortment of cutlery and dishes. Heuses both thumbs to caress the backs of her hands. She still seems nervous.

_She probably can't wait to get home. No doubt regretting ever accepting your offer of a date. What were you thinking asking her out? It'll be awkward on the grid now._

She tries her absolute hardest not to visibly shake as his thumbs continue to trace patterns on her skin. She's hypnotised by the way he's looking at her and she doesn't even notice the waiter take away the bill and return moments later with a receipt.

_He looks at me like I'm the only person in the world. No man has ever looked at me like that. I'm going to invite him in to my place when we get there. I will. I will._

He reluctantly removes his hands from hers to slip the receipt into his jacket pocket. He stands and looks at her. She's gone back to fiddling with her napkin.

'Shall we go? I'll drop you off at home.'

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><p>The car journey is silent, neither quite knowing what to say. She doesn't want to get into a lengthy conversation that might prevent her from blurting out her invitation when they reach her house. He doesn't want to say anything that might prevent her from inviting him in. They reach her house and he gets out of the car quickly to open her door for her.<p>

_I've never been treated like a lady before. He opens doors for me and everything. I'm going to invite him in. I'm going to. I'm going..._

'Harry, would you like to come in for coffee?'

Her words are rushed and he has his back to her as he's turned to close the car door behind her. He hears her well enough though, and freezes as her words sink in.

_She wants me to come inside. She wants me to have coffee. She wants me._

He barely manages to suppress his delight as he turns to her and nods. When her back is to him and she's unlocking her front door, he looks silently up to the sky and thanks whatever God is up there that this beautiful woman sees something in him. He follows her in and she shuts the heavy door behind him.

The house is silent, save for a pitter patter of tiny feet. A small grey cat runs between his legs and purrs.

'Fidget, this is Harry. Be nice to him.'

He chuckles at the way she speaks to her cat. He speaks to Scarlett in the exact same manner.

_We must be meant for each other._

She brews the coffee quickly and offers him a mug. They sit in the kitchen and make small talk, neither wanting to bring up the subject of what will happen once the coffee is drunk. When this scenario occurs, they stand awkwardly in the middle of the kitchen. She wants him to kiss her and never leave. He wants to kiss her and never leave. Neither moves for fear of being rejected.

'Well I guess I'd better...go on home. Early start in the morning.'

He gestures towards the hall and moves through to retrieve his coat. She follows, disappointment crossing her face for a second before she covers it up.

_He's leaving, just like the others. Nobody ever wants to stay. Nobody ever wants a second date._

She watches as he buttons his coat and holds open the door for him.

'I had a lovely time Ruth. Can we...do this again some time?'

She nods and smiles, knowing he's only being polite. She thinks she's hidden her disappointment from him, but she hasn't. He's shocked to see that she's sad he's leaving. He thinks it would be odd if he decided to stay now. So he settles for the next best thing.

He pulls her into his arms, his hands finding their way to her waist to caress the tiny strip of skin revealed between her skirt and blouse. She shivers at the touch and stares into his eyes. He leans forward ever so slowly, his intentions made clear. Their lips meet in a slow, tender kiss that seems to last a lifetime. His tongue begs for entrance and she allows it without even giving it a second thought. They explore each other's mouths, his hands still on her waist and hers braced on his strong broad chest. When she begins to get lightheaded because of a lack of oxygen she pulls away, but it's the most difficult thing she's ever done. She could kiss him for the rest of her life if he wanted her to.

They stand in silence for long minutes, foreheads resting against each other. When he finally finds his voice, she is not disappointed by what he has to say.

'Can we do this again tomorrow night, in fact? But without the dinner part?'

He kisses her again and she leans heavily into him. The warmth of his skin and the safety of his arms around her is all she needs to agree to his request. There will be a second date, and a third, and many more after that, she hopes.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: A few of you expressed an interest in another chapter in your lovely reviews, so here goes...**

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><p>He spends all day at work day dreaming about their first date instead of doing paperwork like he should be. She spends most the day watching him through the small gaps in his blinds instead of doing paperwork like she should be. Both thank the heavens that no terrorists decide to attack that day.<p>

Their colleagues can tell something's happened. Malcolm even questions Ruth about it. Everybody knows, he tells her. She worries. She doesn't want to be the subject of office ridicule. Harry's offer of a second date is promptly turned down. He convinces her not to worry. One look at him in his unbuttoned waistcoat and loosened tie makes her see sense. They kiss briefly before going back to not doing any work.

The second date far exceeds his expectations. They skip dinner like he had suggested and spend the evening at his house. Wine is consumed by the bottle. They are both quite inebriated by the time the phone rings.

He answers and she waits patiently until he hangs up.

'Catherine. She wants to meet tomorrow.'

_I didn't even recognise her voice when she spoke. My own daughter. What kind of father am I?_

He sounds dazed and she doesn't quite know what to say. She knows he regrets the state of his relationship (or lack of) with his children. All she can do is stroke his arm gently while he processes this new information in his head.

'That's a good thing isn't it Harry?'

_Brilliant. This man's clearly upset and that's all I can come up with? Well done Ruth._

The question sounds stupid and inadequate but she feels she has to say something to break the terrible silence that's descended upon them. He doesn't answer her and she stands to leave. He clearly wants to be alone with his thoughts tonight.

_He's pulling away from me again. I wish he would talk to me. I'm falling in love with him._

'No, don't go. Please.'

_I'm pushing her away. Why do I find it so difficult to express myself around her? I'm falling in love with her._

She breathes a sigh of relief when he notices her coat is half on and grabs her wrist to stop her. They stand in the hallway as still as the ornaments that surround them. Anybody walking past might mistake them for statues as they stare deeply into each other's eyes. Slowly she removes the one half of her coat and hangs it back up on the rack. They move back into the living room and resume the silence on the sofa.

_Just say it. Say it. What's the worst that can happen? Say it!_

He breathes in as if about to say something, then seems to think better of it and slumps down in the sofa. She leans back against the arm and watches him closely. She takes a wild guess at what's bothering him.

'Harry, you're not a bad parent.'

He laughs. Bingo.

'Thank you for the sentiment Ruth, but I don't believe you.'

She takes his hand and caresses his skin. It's rough, unlike hers. But the touch makes her fingertips tingle and her belly flip.

'You're trying now though. That must count for something. You've been reaching out to her recently. She probably just wants to meet to catch up.'

He ends the touching of their hands to rest his head.

'I wasn't there for them Ruth. I'm never there for anybody.'

_Least of all you._

She forces him to look at her and retakes his hand.

'You're there for me.'

The tension between them almost crackles and she leans forward to place her lips against his. He doesn't respond to begin with, too shocked that she made the first move.

_He's not kissing me back. I shouldn't have done this. I can't believe I misread this situation. I thought he liked me._

She pulls back, tears in her eyes at his rejection. He pulls himself together at his stupidity and lack of action. He grabs her by the back of the neck and pulls her back to him forcefully.

_I could kiss her for the rest of my life._

They kiss like they did the previous night. It is fast and needy and full of desire. He knows where he wants it to go but is too afraid of pushing her. She knows where she wants it to go but she is too afraid of letting him down.

_I've only ever had two boyfriends before in my life. I know from his file he's slept with many more women. How am I going to compare with that? He'll be so disappointed._

They tumble backwards into a lying down position on the sofa, him on top. They continue to kiss as he caresses the slim strip of skin revealed between her skirt and blouse.

_I've slept with so many women. She's going to think I'm only after one thing. I can't let this happen like this. She means so much more to me than that._

He pulls away. They are both breathing heavily. He looks into her eyes, fully prepared to stop whatever is about to happen. But she caresses his cheek and looks at him so lovingly he can't bring himself to stop. They both want this, it's written all over her face. He pulls her to her feet and leads her to the bedroom.

She's nervous, he can tell. He is too, but only because this is _Ruth_. He tries to calm her by kissing her soundly. It must work because without him realising, she's undone half the buttons on his shirt. He pulls her back onto the bed with him and doesn't think about anything other than her for the rest of the night.

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><p><strong>AN: I could be persuaded to write a third, M rated, chapter if it's wanted?**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: This chapter comes with an M rated warning!**

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><p>She's nervous, he can tell. He is too, but only because this is <em>Ruth<em>. He tries to calm her by kissing her soundly. It must work because without him realising, she's undone half the buttons on his shirt. He pulls her back onto the bed with him and they land with an eruption of childlike giggles. She tries to undo the rest of the buttons on his shirt but is struck by a sudden bout of nerves. She fumbles and he clasps her hands in his own to try and calm them.

'Ruth, are you sure you want to do this?'

_Please don't let her change her mind, I don't think I could take it._

His relief is obvious when she smiles and nods. They kiss again and he helps matters along by pulling his shirt off over his head. She places soft kisses over his exposed skin, paying extra attention to the numerous scars littered across his chest.

_She must find me horribly unattractive. How can she bare to look at these scars?_

He tenses and she knows instinctively what the problem is.

'Harry, they're a part of you. You wouldn't be you without them.'

_He's been through so much pain in his life. Will he ever open up enough to tell me about them all?_

She removes his belt with ease and his trousers and underwear soon follow. He decides she needs to catch up in the race to undress and pulls her blouse and skirt off quickly. Her underwear astounds him and he finds himself unable to speak for a few moments. She wears black lace and it fails in its job of covering anything up. He reaches for her and unclasps the bra with minimal effort.

_He must have had plenty of practice at that. I didn't even feel him...oh!_

She loses all sane thought when he lowers his mouth to her nipple and sucks gently. He takes great pleasure in the noises he can elicit from her purely from caressing her nipples. His hand takes care of the one his mouth cannot and she can't resist the urge to pull his head down harder onto her breasts.

She arches her hips into his firm erection and he takes the hint. Her lace knickers are torn away and thrown useless to the floor, their one purpose in life never to be fulfilled again. He wastes no time in dipping his head and tasting what had until now only been a fantasy.

_This is heaven. Pure heaven. If I die now I'll be a happy happy man._

'Oh...Harry...don't you dare stop what you're doing.'

He chuckles inwardly as a long stream of expletives follows her sentence. He has no intention of stopping. He's having far too much fun. When she begins to moan loudly he enters her with two fingers and curls them upwards to find her most sensitive spot. He feels her muscles contract around his fingers, and her hands push his mouth back onto her clitoris. His tongue traces fast patterns as she rides out her orgasm and he doesn't stop until he feels her collapse back onto the sheets.

While she recovers he lies beside her and traces patterns on her stomach with his fingertips. He watches her face closely for any sign of regret but can find none. When she opens her eyes they are full of such happiness that he almost cannot breathe.

_I'm going to tell her I love her. What if she doesn't say it back? I don't think I could take it._

He keeps his silence whilst he debates with himself inside his head and she enjoys the touch of him on her skin.

_No man has ever made me feel like that before. I love him so much. Do I tell him? What if he doesn't feel the same way? I don't want to ruin everything._

She decides to focus on the task at hand instead of worrying and pulls him on top of her. He is surprised to begin with but soon pulls himself together and rests most of his weight on his arms so as not to squash her. He watches her face as he enters her and they both cry out in unison at the feeling.

_This is just perfect. She is just perfect. Why haven't we been doing this all along?_

He moves inside of her, slowly at first then with more force and speed. She wraps her legs around his waist and pulls him deeper inside her. Their bodies are slick with sweat and they cling to each other for dear life as they fall off the edge together. When he comes to, he is lying on top of her and worries she can't breathe. She stops him from moving by placing her hands on his back.

'Don't. This is nice.'

They are still joined and when she shifts her hips to get into a more comfortable position it stirs something within him. He feels himself becoming excited again and he rolls his hips slightly to gauge her reaction. She sighs in pleasure and he takes it as a sign to continue. Once more he moves inside her, each thrust harder and faster than the one before. He can feel himself approaching his orgasm quickly, and he wants them to finish together. He reaches down between them with one hand and presses down on her clitoris with his thumb. Her nails dig sharply into his back but the pain only spurs him on and with one final push they come together.

This time he rolls off her straight away. Despite what she said about liking it, he doesn't want to crush her. They lie on their sides and look quietly at each other. The silence is comfortable and neither feels the need to speak. Until he finds the bravery to say what he's been thinking ever since she agreed to their first date.

'I love you Ruth.'

She smiles and he know immediately that he's said the right thing.

'I love you too Harry.'


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Just a small filler whilst I ponder which direction to take this, if any. Do people want more?**

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><p>It's hard to describe the feeling in his chest as he watches the boat take her away from him. If he absolutely had to, he would say it was akin to somebody plunging a large knife deep into his heart and then twisting it over and over. He's not sure how long he stands there in the freezing cold, but it's long after the boat has disappeared from sight. The only reason he even moves is because Adam comes to see what's taken so long and is worried.<p>

'I thought you might have decided to do a runner and go with her.'

_You have no idea how close to the truth that is, my friend._

The idea seemed stupid when he thought of it himself on the way to the dock and he dismissed it from his mind. If he had gone with her and disappeared, the authorities would know they had faked her death and come looking for them. But standing there in the freezing cold, hands and feet numb, heart even number, he can't think of a single reason why he shouldn't have gotten on that boat too.

Not wanting Adam to catch his death because of him, he follows him blindly back to his car and rides silently with him back to Thames House. There's still work to be done after all, and he's Harry Pearce, Head of Section D. He carries on matter what. Doesn't he?

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><p>She's scared. She's more scared than she's ever been in her entire life. It's a new country and she knows nobody. All she has is the envelope full of cash that Zaf stuffed into her pocket when he left her at the dock and a false passport. More than anything she wishes he was here with her, but that is an absurd thought.<p>

_He wouldn't have come with me even if he had been able to. He wouldn't leave his life, and his job, for me._

She clutches her cash more securely and heads for the nearest motel. Tomorrow she will work on a permanent residence and a place to work. Tonight she just wants to curl up and cry into her pillow over the loss of her life, but more importantly, over her loss of the love of her life.

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><p>He stares at her empty desk and for a moment thinks he's going insane when he sees her there working away.<p>

_It's your mind playing tricks on you, you old fool. She's gone. Get used to it._

In the confines of his office he allows himself the time to shed a tear or two. He notices the files Adam has strategically placed on his desk. No doubt too scared to deliver it in person. Opening it, he scans over the profiles of Ruth's prospective replacements before throwing the file into the bin.

_I can't ever replace her. Not at work, but especially not in my heart._


	5. Chapter 5

It's the death of Adam that does it. Zaf didn't help either, but Adam pushes him over the edge. Adam hadn't even gotten over the death of Fiona and now he's sacrificed himself too. When he goes to Wes' school to tell him, the words can't seem to leave his mouth, but Wes knows. They embrace and Harry has never felt more alone in his entire life.

_What I wouldn't give for Ruth to be here with me now. She would know what to do, what to say._

It's during Adam's funeral that he makes the decision. He's going to find her. By bribing Malcolm with tickets to the next England cricket match, he finds out that she's kept in contact with him via sporadic e-mail. It's nothing too juicy, he tells him sheepishly. Just to make sure everybody's alive and well.

_I could have been the one telling her that. I should have been. _

His anger at Malcolm subsides quickly. He knows he was only doing it on Ruth's request. He asks him to hold off telling her about Adam. He'll do that himself in person. Malcolm of course tries to dissuade him, but he's adamant. Tickets for a rugby match persuade his old friend to construct a legend for him unofficially and he promptly goes to Whitehall to hand over his resignation to the Home Secretary personally.

Needless to say, he's treated with some suspicion at this. The case against Ruth is closed, of course. But when the Head of Section D announces he wants to retire, it is accepted with a degree of distrust. He answers their questions in a satisfactory way and is soon on the way out of Thames House for the very last time. To say Ros is shocked when he offers her his position would be an understatement. He's already cleared it with the DG obviously, but he championed for her to be his replacement and it's a testament to his legacy that his advice is followed. She'll make an excellent Section Head, of that he is sure.

_This is easier than I thought. I should have done this sooner. I should have gone with her on that boat. You stupid man. You'll be lucky if she doesn't slap you and send you on your way when you find her._

He tries to shut out his thoughts as the doubts creep in but it's hard. She did give up her life for him after all. Surely she's going to be bitter about that? But then, her last act before leaving was to kiss him, so he clings on to that fact for dear life as he books his ticket to Cyprus. Malcolm tells him she's in this country, but he can't trace her e-mails any better than that.

_She's still got it. Even in another country and away from everything she knows she's still a better spook than any of us._

The plane journey almost kills him. His excitement and his fear are only equalled by his apprehension. He doesn't know where to start looking for her, only that she once expressed an interest to him in living by the ocean. He decides he'll start with a little village called Polis that he picks out completely at random on the map he's brought with him. It's as good a place as any, but it's also the nearest seaside village in Cyprus to England, and he has this silly notion that she would want to be as close to him as possible even in a different country.

_Don't be so stupid you old fool. She's probably forgotten you already. And you're going to mess up her life and turn it upside down again._

He tries in vain to ignore his thoughts but they haunt him until he lands and the stress of finding his luggage can distract him for a while.

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><p>He's been looking for three days now, but Polis is bigger than he expected and all he's done so far is wander around on the off chance he might see her. He knows he should ask around, maybe show her picture, but he doesn't want to be too obvious in case she is here and word gets back to her. He doesn't want to spook her (for want of a better word) and lose her.<p>

He's having breakfast at a little cafe by the beach when he sees her. For the first time in three years he is looking at his beautiful Ruth. Her hair is longer than he remembers and her tan gives her a healthy glow. He doesn't think his heart beats once the entire time she is in his view. He's too scared to do anything other than stare as she crosses the road a few hundred yards away from him.

_Well now at least you know she's here. Let's do something about it. What's the worst that can happen?_

Little does he know, in three days those words will come back to haunt him.

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><p>Three days later and he hasn't caught another glimpse of her yet. Without knowing where she lives and still being too scared to ask around for her, he hangs around the same cafe day after day hoping to see her again. Finally he gives in and asks the cafe owner if he recognizes her from the only picture he has of her.<p>

'Oh yes, that is Ruth.'

'You're sure?' He asks with barely concealed excitement.

'Yes yes. She lives in the hills with George. He is a nice man indeed.'

His heart stops and he feels sick.

_No. No. Not Ruth. He must be mistaken._

His stumbles from the cafe muttering a thank you behind him and that's when he sees her. Unfortunately, it's also when he sees him. They're stood on the opposite side of the road in an embrace that shatters his heart into a million pieces. Never in his life has he experienced such pain. He staggers down the nearest alleyway before they can see him and vomits into the dustbin beside him.

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><p>She enters the cafe with George, mildly annoyed at his insistence on public displays of affection. They've argued about it numerous times and he knows she hates it, yet he insists on doing it anyway.<p>

_You mean you only hate it with him. If Harry were here..._

No. She doesn't allow that thought to continue. She hasn't thought about him for at least three hours and she thinks she's doing well until something like this brings him screaming back to her in such a painful way.

'Ah Ruth, so nice to see you. A man was _just_ in here looking for you.'

Her stomach does a flip when the cafe owner describes this man to her, much to George's annoyance.

_No, it can't be him. He wouldn't even know where to find me. It's not him. It's not._

'And did this man leave a name?'

_Oh shut up George._

'No, no. But he looked terribly upset when I told him you lived here. Strange really, considering he was looking for you.'

'No.' She whispers, backing away from George.

Before she knows what she's doing she's running out of the cafe and towards the taxi rank. If she knows him like she thinks she does, he'll be on the first plane back to England as soon as possible. She can't let that happen. She can't know that he's been here and not at least speak to him.

_Please don't let me be wrong about this. Oh god please._

She's so busy worrying herself to death that she doesn't notice the man coming out of the alleyway and knocks straight into him.

'Oh gosh, I am so...'

Her words catch in her mouth when she sees who exactly it is that she's run into.

'Harry.'


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Another shortish one but I wanted the last line here to be the end of the chapter. I'm thinking there's only 1 maybe 2 chapters left after this. Thank you all for reviewing so far!**

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><p>'Harry.'<p>

'Ruth.'

'Ruth.'

Neither Harry or Ruth look away from each other when George says her name. When he approaches and puts his arm possessively around her shoulders, it takes all of Harry's willpower not to pound the man into the ground. It is an action designed purely to annoy him, he can tell. The look in George's eyes suggest he knows there's history between him and Ruth. Whether this knowledge has come to him in the last few seconds or Ruth told him a long time ago, he does not know. He hopes it is the former, because this means she was hiding him from this man. And _that_ means she thinks there's something to hide. His heart soars at this possibility, until George does something that tests his willpower to the limit.

Eyes firmly on Harry, he pulls Ruth firmly towards him and kisses her on the lips. She doesn't want to, he can tell, but this man whom he has already grown to hate pulls the love of his life tighter to him and continues the kiss. When he finally lets her go he looks smugly at Harry and extends his hand towards him. Never in his life has he wanted to shake a hand less than he does right now, but ever the polite spook, he does so anyway.

'I'm George, Ruth's husband.'

_No, no. She wouldn't, would she? Was I really that easy to get over?_

Ruth shoots George yet another angry look at his statement. She is already angry at him for forcing her into a kiss that was obviously designed to make Harry jealous and now he's telling lies too.

'Not officially. We just say that to people. I don't know why really.'

_He looks devastated. Did he really come all this way just for me? And he arrives to find me in the arms of another man. What have I done?_

'Because we love each other of course darling.' His attention turns back to Harry. 'It's only a matter of time before we make it official.'

Harry's grinding his teeth like there's no tomorrow. His hatred for this man is in danger of becoming obvious to all and sundry and he wants to get out of there before he does or says something that he regrets.

_She's happy. She might not have wanted to kiss him but she wouldn't be with him if she wasn't happy. I should leave her be. _

'Well, I should probably get going. Plane to catch and all that.'

He motions behind him in the vague direction of the airport. It's a useless gesture but he has to do something with his hands to stop himself from wringing this man's neck. Then he hears the words he never expected to hear, and they cut him like a knife.

'Yes, so should we. Come on Ruth, we have a child waiting for us back at home.'

The look on Ruth's face is furious to say the least. But Harry misses it because George's words have rendered him almost catatonic.

_They have a child. She has a child. Not with me. What am I doing? I need to get out of here._

'George, wait for me back at the cafe.'

Her tone of voice leaves no room for argument and he walks away with a satisfied grin on his face. He believes his work here is done. This unknown man will not be troubling him any longer.

'Harry, wait!'

She runs after him when she realises he has turned away from her.

_I need to tell him the truth. I can't let him leave. Not like this. I love him._

'Harry, it's not what you think.'

She stands before him, one hand on his chest to stop him walking any further. The contact renders them both speechless for a moment. It is the first time they have touched each other since they kissed on the dock so long ago. Her fingertips feel like fire on his chest, even through his thin t-shirt and he steps back away from her. He immediately regrets doing so when she looks disappointed at the distance he has created between them.

'And what exactly do I think Ruth?'

His voice doesn't sound angry, more devastated and suddenly she realises what was obvious from the start. He came here to be with her.

'I don't have a child. He's George's son. From before. And we aren't ever going to get married.'

'Why not?'

She doesn't answer him but he knows what he would like the answer to be.

_Because you love me. Please say it's because you love me._

She stares into his eyes and the love she finds there takes her breath away.

_How have I managed without him for so long? _

'Because...because I love you.'


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Seems I had a special moment and uploaded this the first time with half a sentence on the end that shouldn't have been there! Many thanks to theoofoof and Mtn Cousin for pointing that out!**

**A/N 2: Wow, I'm astounded by all the lovely reviews for this fic. My best review to chapter ratio so far so thank you all. This chapter is full of George bashing, but did anybody ever really like him anyway? Heehee. One more after this.**

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><p>'You...you love me?'<p>

'Yes Harry. You know I do.'

Her voice is barely a whisper and he has to strain to hear it. He wants to jump for joy but he knows that despite her admission, it doesn't mean she's going to come running back to him any time soon. They're still stood on the pavement a few yards down from the cafe and he pulls her gently into the alleyway he came from previously for a little bit of privacy.

'I've retired Ruth. I came here to be with you.'

_What am I going to do? I can't just up and leave George...can I? I need to think about this. I need to..._

'Ruth, did you hear me?'

_She's not talking. I've pushed her too far. She doesn't want me. _

'Yes. I just...I need time to process all this Harry.'

She's opened up to him more than he expected. When he first saw her across the street kissing another man, this is the last possible scenario he thought would come from that, so he'll take what he can get. He wants to kiss her, more than anything in the world, but he's not that type of man anymore. He'll wait until she makes a decision.

'I understand. This is my number if you want to talk or meet up or...whatever.'

When she takes the card their fingers touch briefly and there's a sharp intake of breath from them both at the thrill that runs through them.

'I should go back to George.'

_I don't want to go back to George. I want to stay with Harry._

'Take care Ruth.'

_I don't want her to go back to George. I want her to stay here with me._

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><p>'You shouldn't have said those things George. You embarrassed me and you made yourself look a jealous fool.'<p>

She paces back and forth in the kitchen as he looks at her with the same smug look on his face as when he was taunting Harry.

'He needed to be shown that you're no longer his. Because that's who he is, isn't he? The man you cried about for the first six months you were here? He can't have been that special if you left him back in England.'

_What did I ever see in this man?_

Her stomach does angry flips as the painful reminder of just why she had to leave her home is replayed in her head.

'You don't know him. And you have no idea why I had to leave him. We were happy.'

'Oh come on Ruth, you know as well as I do that you're happier with me than you ever could be with that man. I mean look at him!'

She stops pacing and stares angrily at the man before her. This is a side of him she has never seen before and it really doesn't suit him.

'Do I _look_ like the kind of woman who is impressed by your six pack?'

He laughs and tries to pull her towards him but not for the first time she resists and he tightens his grip in anger.

'I've given you a place to live, Ruth. A place to work. I put food in your mouth. I let you share my bed. And this is how you repay me? You owe me. You aren't going anywhere.'

She scurries to the opposite side of the kitchen when he finally releases her from his painful grip and stares at him wide eyed.

_How could I have been so stupid? I don't know this man._

'Harry is twice the man you'll ever be.'

She sees his hand coming but doesn't have time to avoid it. Her cheek throbs from the slap and she barely manages to choke back the sob that threatens to escape from her mouth. She won't let him see her like that. Getting to her suitcase and packing her things is the only thing on her mind right now and she's surprised when he doesn't try to stop her. She's halfway out the door with her belongings when he follows her into the hall.

'Run along you whore. I only kept you around for the sex anyway. And it wasn't even that good.'

She doesn't even give him the satisfaction of a reply before hurrying into the dark night and towards the town centre.

_I need to see Harry._

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><p>He ushers her into his hotel room quickly when he sees what kind of state she's in. The angry red mark on her cheek tells him all he needs to know.<p>

_That bastard. When I get hold of him I'm going to..._

'Harry, it's nothing really.'

_How did she...?_

'You've got that look. Your angry look. Really, I'm fine. I just want to forget about him.'

He waits until his anger subsides before he approaches her. His hand seems to have a mind of its own as it finds her cheek and caresses the sore spot gently. He's ecstatic when she leans ever so slightly into his touch.

'I missed you so much Harry. About George...I don't want you to think that I...'

'Sssshhh I understand.'

_This man is too good for me. I don't deserve him._

'I never stopped thinking of you. Not one single day. George was just...a distraction I suppose.'

_This woman is too good for me. I don't deserve her._

He pulls her to him then when the tears start to fall and they embrace for the first time in years. He lays her in his bed when she collapses against him exhausted and is fiddling with the sofa bed when her beautiful voice reaches him.

'Harry, will you sleep in here with me tonight?'

The silence is deafening as he stands stock still, too scared to move in case he imagined what she just said.

_He doesn't want me anymore. I've ruined it by being with another man. Stupid. Stupid._

'I...of course I will.'

Hands shaking, he pulls back the covers on the opposite side of the bed and lies stiffly beside her. He doesn't know to what extent she wants his presence in the bed so he waits for her to make the first move. His patience is rewarded when she tentatively reaches out and grasps his hand in her own. When she rolls over and takes his hand with her, essentially wrapping him around her from behind, he doesn't think the moment could get any more perfect. That is, until she utters six words softly while half asleep.

'I feel safe with you Harry.'

He waits until her breathing slows and she is in a deep sleep before he lets himself drift off. If he could, he would watch her all night long, but he knows that tomorrow is an important day. Tomorrow they decide where their future will take them. And he hopes to God and every other deity that might be listening that their futures are heading in the same place.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Well here it is, the last chapter. Considering I only intended this to be a one shot, it's not turned out that badly! Thanks to everybody who left a review, I hope one more is not too much to ask!**

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><p>She watches from the safety of the bed as he rushes around the small hotel room packing up his things. They've a flight to catch but it's not for another three hours and she's not quite sure what's got him so flustered. She thinks it might have something to do with the way they woke up this morning, because that certainly flustered her, she just hides it better than he does.<p>

It was her that had woken first, and she had relaxed when she realised it was his arms around her and not George. The awkwardness had arisen from the positioning of his hand high on her inner thigh. She had tried to shift it without him noticing but the movement had woken him and there had been a shared silence before he had snatched his hand away quickly. He had practically leapt from the bed before she could say anything, and that was where they found themselves now.

_You'd think we'd never slept together the way we carry on. I wish I was more confident around him._

He throws the last few items into his suitcase and closes it easily. When he turns to face the bed she's looking at him with a thoughtful expression on her face.

_Such an idiot. I can't believe I practically groped her in my sleep. She's going to think I'm only after one thing._

She's never looked more beautiful to him than in this moment and he decides to push his luck. He sits down beside her on the bed and is overjoyed when she doesn't wrap the duvet around herself protectively. She's still in the previous day's clothes, but her blouse has been removed and she's only sporting a thin camisole over her bra, revealing just enough skin to make him want more.

His hand travels over the fading red mark on her cheek where George assaulted her and he's rewarded yet again by her leaning into his touch. When her eyes drift closed at the contact he seizes the moment and leans forward to press his lips gently against her. She jumps at the contact and he's about to pull away disappointed when she wraps her hands around his neck and pulls him closer. The kiss is chaste and doesn't last very long but to him it is the best kiss he's ever received. When they pull away she's blushing and he can't help but grin like a child.

'Are you sure about all...this?'

_Please say yes, please say yes, please say yes._

'Of course Harry. Like you said before, it's not a trip to do alone is it? You're going to need a companion on your Grand Tour.'

She nudges him playfully and his grin widens even more. His cheeks ache from the effort but he's not going to stop any time soon. The most beautiful woman in the world has agreed to travel Europe with him, he'd be mad not to be absolutely ecstatic at this news.

They kiss again and this time she initiates it, something which pleases him no end. It quickly becomes more passionate than their previous kiss and before she knows what's happening he's hovering over her on the bed. He's placing tiny loving kisses all over her face, paying special attention to her bruised cheek, and she feels like she's in heaven.

'I'm never going to let anybody hurt you ever again.'

She pulls him in for one more heated kiss before pushing him off her reluctantly. He looks so disappointed that she could almost laugh.

_Who am I kidding? I feel just as disappointed as he looks._

'I have to go back and fetch the rest of my stuff before our flight. There are some things I forgot in the rush to get away from...you know. Shall I meet you at the airport?'

He stands quickly and is beside her in an instant.

'You're _not_ going back there alone. I'll go with you. Or better yet, I'll go for you and educate that man on how to treat women.'

_He's so protective of me. I like that side of him. No, I love that side of him._

'It'll be alright Harry, he's at work. I won't have to see him. I'll slip in and out and meet you at the airport in two hours.'

_He's at work is he? Well, looks like I've just found something to do while I wait for Ruth._

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><p>He stands outside the hospital while he formulates his plan. He can hardly go in there all guns blazing. He has a reputation to uphold with this legend. Having an arrest warrant out in his current name is hardly what he wants to follow him around Europe on their Grand Tour.<p>

_Should I really do this? Would Ruth approve?_

An imagine of Ruth appearing at his door from the previous night, tearful and cheek glowing red appears in his mind and he steps into the hospital without further thought.

It's easier than he thought to get an appointment with George. He simply claims to have stomach pains and seats himself in the waiting area. Polis Hospital is small and he deduces from the board behind the nurse that George is the only doctor currently on call. He's given an estimated waiting time of half an hour, providing no emergencies come in, and takes a seat.

When his name is called he enters the office and comes face to face with the man whom he holds the most hatred for in the world. He tries to keep a lid on his anger but fails spectacularly when George looks up and sees him, smirking in a way that lets him know that he knows exactly why he's here.

'So the whore sent you to do her dirty work did she?'

Something inside him snaps as George refers to Ruth as a whore and in a flash he's holding this despicable man up against the wall by his neck. The fear in his eyes is comforting to Harry, it means he's winning this particular battle.

_What I wouldn't give to snap this man's neck right now. _

'You listen here you vile little man. That woman was way too good for you. What you did to her was the lowest of the low. I suggest that if you want to keep hold of all your appendages you think long and hard about your choice of punch bag in the future. Because I'll be watching you. Mark my words.'

The noise George makes as he falls to the fall is infinitely satisfying. It's somewhere between a cry and a cough, and its music to his ears. He's about to leave without further action when George has the audacity to speak up again.

'You're welcome to the bitch.'

His line is accompanied by a laugh and it causes Harry to stop mid step.

_Think of Ruth. Think of Ruth. Think of Ruth._

He turns and wordlessly returns to George, who is still slumped on the floor. Without warning he leans forward and punches him in the mouth, hard.

'That's a nasty fall you've had there. You might want to get a doctor to take a look at that cut.'

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><p>She's standing outside the terminal looking around nervously and his heart skips a beat just watching her. When she sees him her face lights up and he struggles to work out just what he did to get so lucky. As soon as he's within reach she throws her arms around him and kisses his neck.<p>

'I missed you. What did you get up to while I was gone?'

He buys himself a little time to think of a convincing answer by taking her suitcase and pulling it onto his luggage trolley. Not enough time it seems, as she isn't fooled one bit.

'I just strolled through the town, looked at the shops.'

He waits for the inevitable questioning and demanding of the truth but it doesn't come. He's surprised when he turns to face her and she's smiling.

'Thank you Harry.'

_This woman truly is a mind reader._

He pulls her into his arms and kisses her soundly. She responds eagerly and he has to restrain himself from getting too carried away. They are in an airport after all.

'No, thank you for putting up with an old fool like me.'

She smiles bashfully as he hands over their passports to the attendant. When their cases have been taken and they've passed through security, she takes his hand and leads him to the departure gate towards their new life together.

The End


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